Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Carter reached his hand across the table and grabbed my hand. He held it, his fingers gently squeezing mine. He looked at me with sad eyes and a tense jawline, the unspeakable pain written on his face. “Sweetheart…” Unable to find the words to soothe the situation, he said nothing else.
Feeling his hand in mine was comforting. He’d never touched me that way before, gave me the kind of affection two friends would share. It’d been years since I’d felt something real, like a hug or an embrace. I’d been fucked and smothered with sex, but that wasn’t the physical contact I needed.
This was what I needed.
I squeezed his hand back, silently telling him I appreciated his sympathy. I knew it was real. If it weren’t, he wouldn’t have done anything at all. I understood Carter better now than I did before, and I knew he had a heart. He had compassion. And I knew he cared.
He scooted his chair closer to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder while his hand continued to grip mine. The food was abandoned, and we sat together in front of the window, the world outside peaceful. He brushed his thumb over mine, consoling me quietly. His hand rubbed down the middle of my back. “I’m sorry, Mia.” The sincerity was in his voice, potent and real.
“I know.”
He pressed his forehead against the side of my head and pressed a kiss to my hairline.
I closed my eyes at his touch, his affection reminding me what it was like to be loved. It reminded me of a kiss from an old lover, affection between a man and a woman who loved each other. It reminded me of the way my mother would comfort me after my father died. The embrace was so simple, but it meant so much to me. “Thank you, Carter.” This man was slowly putting me back together without even realizing it. He was proving that there was some good in the world. He was proving that not all men were like Egor. Egor made me barren, but Carter would never do something like that. He wanted to be evil, but he simply couldn’t.
And that was exactly what I needed.
Carter worked in his office all day and didn’t come out until dinnertime.
I spent my free time at his pool, lying in the sun in a bikini Carter had given me and floating around on the inflatable swan when it got too hot. I helped myself to his bar and made myself Long Island Iced Teas while I soaked in the sunshine.
Since the sun didn’t set until after nine, I lost track of the time.
Carter stepped onto the pool deck in his t-shirt and jeans. With his arms crossed over his chest, he watched me float around in the pool, my drink in the inflatable cup holder. “No dinner tonight, then?”
“What time is it?”
“Eight thirty.”
“Oh…guess not.” I was in the middle of the pool, so he couldn’t get me unless he jumped in. Like a princess in a castle surrounded by a moat, I was safe.
“What am I supposed to eat?”
I shrugged. “You did fine before I came along.”
“Yes. But having a maid has been nice.”
“Well, this maid has taken the day off.” My sunglasses were still on the bridge of my nose even though the sun was about to set.
“You look cute as hell right now.”
“Why, thank you. Good thing you can’t get to me.”
“Can’t get to you?” he asked, amused. “You think water could stop me?”
“It’s pretty cold.”
He accepted my challenge and pulled his shirt over his head.
“You don’t have any swim trunks.”
“Don’t need them.” He pushed his jeans down along with his boxers.
Letting his monster cock hang out.
He took the stairs into the water then walked toward me, his feet hitting the bottom because he was over six feet in height. He grabbed the inflatable swan and dragged me toward the shallow end of the pool. “That was easy.”
“Damn…”
He rested his arms on the raft then leaned over to kiss my shoulder and arm. The affection was meaningless, but it felt nice at the same time. He kept his eyes on me, watching my reaction to his touch.
I was floating across the pool with a beautiful man kissing my shoulder. The landscape was beautiful, and my stomach was full because I could eat whenever I wanted. I’d never been on a vacation before, but this felt like the closest thing to one. “How was work?”
“I’m going to have to head to the offices soon. I’ve got to get started on production for the next line.”
“What will you do with me?”
“Leave you here. Unless you’ll miss me too much.” He smiled playfully, showing a slight, boyish charm to complement his hard masculinity.
I chuckled, knowing I would miss him—just a little. “What if I run for it?”